Below is an unpublished letter to the editor I sent to the Toronto Sun in January of /99. Perhaps it was all for the best. I imagine Kimberly Glasco would be none too pleased to see her name in a rag like the Toronto Sun! <P>Phooey on that ink-stained wretch John Coulbourn and his arts column! Coulbourn was obviously hinting at something when he scribbled (January 26th): “There was more RHETORIC in the National Ballet of Canada’s dispute with principal dancer Kimberly Glasco” and “the Bring Back Kimberly Glasco Network CLAIMS to have attracted some 225 members.” Well make it 226! <P>Coulbourn, dressed in Oscar Madison hand-me-downs, confirmed my worst suspicions when he came out of the closet on CBC’s Friday evening newscast. He believes artistic director James Kudelka has the right to fire a ballerina with 18 years of experience at the NBoC under the guise of “artistic incompatibility.” Whatever that means. This is the same Coulbourn who once wrote that Glasco was “one of the worthy heiresses to the National’s tradition of great ballerinas.” It all seems like a very convenient “out” for Kudelka. Artistic differences is a phrase that’s as all-encompassing as the universe itself. It’s Coulbourn’s job to cut through the bull and give readers the truth!<P>I was giving serious consideration to bashing both Kudelka and Coulbourn over the head with one of my Kimberly Glasco autographed pointe shoes! Fortunately for me, and especially Kudelka, I surfed onto the Bring Back Kimberly Glasco Network <A HREF="http://www.kim-glasco.com" TARGET=_blank>www.kim-glasco.com</A> Wearing a button (My ballet includes Kimberly) and writing a letter to the editor is a much more sophisticated way of getting my pointe across! With Kudelka boasting so few remaining hairs, I could easily have done some serious damage. Though, a good whomp on the old noggin with a pointe shoe might just straighten him out! No, the more I entertain the idea, it would be a complete waste of a cherished memento and a good used pointe shoe. There’s nothing straight about James Kudelka. <P>A straight shooter doesn’t withhold feedback concerning an employee’s work for 30 months, fire that someone in a five minute meeting under the guise of artistic incompatibility, and then refer to them in the media as “dead wood.” Mr. Kudelka claims the meeting was 45 minutes in length and that he did not fire Ms. Glasco. Let me get this straight: Kimberly Glasco does not appear in the Nutcracker or any of the regularly scheduled subscription ballets over the course of her contract which expires in June; yet, she’s not fired. No Swan Lake, no Taming of the Shrew, no Apollo, no Fairy’s Kiss from Kudelka! Glasco will dance just one more time for a non-subscription ballet in Montreal. By not employing her as his muse, Kudelka is paying Glasco about $50,000 to sit on her tutu—Money from taxpayers, subscribers, and those who donate to the ballet. And to think the National Ballet of Canada claims they did nothing to prevent Kimberly Glasco from securing work elsewhere. Someone is splitting some mighty fine legal hairs. What few they have left. The National carried a deficit of $2,805,000 going into this season. As of January 22nd, their bean counters projected a deficit of $1,100,000 for 1998/1999. Those numbers crunch out to an accumulated deficit of $3,905,000! As of yet, no one has seen Kudelka on TV defending his balding logic. He gets Valerie “Carabosse” Wilder, Executive Director of the NBoC, to do his dirty work for him.<P>Imagine the outcry if Gord Ash fired Carlos Delgado for “artistic incompatibility.” Whatever that means. Imagine sitting out the Blue Jays’ Carlos Delgado with pay for 100 games! The fans would tear down the Skydome and then hang Gord Ash by his cojones! Of course, Gord Ash would never—ever—do that! All he cares about is talent. What you bring to the plate. So Kim Glasco gets paid to sit on her tutu ‘till June of /99. It all seems like a very convenient “out” for Kudelka. Artistic differences is a phrase that’s as all-encompassing as the universe itself.<P>Someone is out of step here and it’s definitely not Kimberly Glasco! When I gave to the National Ballet of Canada I assumed it would go primarily towards seeing quality dancers—NOT just Kudelka’s creations. Under Kudelka’s choreographic thumb, dancers have become nothing more than a disposable resource to be sacrificed at the altar of his dark ego. He should offer a full refund to any subscriber upset about Glasco not dancing in any of the last 4 ballet programs.<P>Kudelka is totally Fokine full of it when he says Glasco is “artistically incompatible!” Kimberly Glasco does not merely perform steps flawlessly; every ounce of her body, mind and spirit dance into musicality. She frees the imagination of her audience, speaking and acting through the dance like few can. In the case of the National Ballet of Canada that number is dwindling as every season dances away into the sand castle of eternity: Margaret Illmann, Robert Conn, etc. Can canned music be faraway?<P>Call 416-684-9305 to get your button. Wear it during the NBoC’s Taming of The Shrew, or in this case: The Taming of Kudelka!<P><BR>------------------<BR>Michael Goldbarth<p>[This message has been edited by Michael Goldbarth (edited June 15, 2000).]

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